The video of a Chinese passenger being dragged off a United Airlines plane, leaving his face and body covered with blood, quickly became viral online.
People all around the world soon expressed their anger on social media, and called for a boycott of the airline. Now, many people feel wary about how they might have been treated in such a situation.
A petition soon appeared on the White House website created by an organization titled, "Chinese Lives Matter," calling for an investigation.
"This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers," tweeted United CEO Oscar Munoz. "We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this situation."
According to the Chicago Department of Aviation, one security officer involved in the incident was suspended.
A United spokesperson explained the situation, saying four passengers were asked to give up their seats voluntarily for compensation because four crew members needed to get on the plane so that another flight in Louisville could take off.
Following Department of Transportation protocol, airlines have the right to involuntarily boot passengers from their flights. After the man refused, the crew called security officers to forcibly remove him from the plane.
Even so, according to John Banzhaf, a professor at law school of George Washington University, the passenger could sue United because he had already checked in. The protocol only applies before passengers actually board.
Also, there was no justification for airport security at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to use violence to solve the problem.
The incident ended up causing a public relations nightmare for United, and some took a bit of a cathartic response, with various memes meant to mock United Airlines. Here are a few that were seen online:
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